Adjustable box end wrench

ABSTRACT

AN INSTANTLY ADJUSTABLE BOX END WRENCH COMPRISING A STATIONARY HANDLE AND A SLIDABLE JAW ASSEMBLY. BOTH THE STATIONARY HANDLE AND THE SLIDABLE JAW ASSEMBLY TERMINATING IN BIPARTITE JAW SECTIONS EXTENDING NORMAL THERETO. THE STATIONARY HANDLE HAS AN OPENING THERETHROUGH IN THE VICINITY OF ITS BIPARTITE JAW SECTION TO PERMIT A BOLT TO EXTEND THERETHROUGH WHEN A NUT IS BEING HELD BY THE JAW SECTIONS. LOCKING IS ACCOMPLISHED BY ENGAGING SETS OF TEETH ALONG THE STATIONARY HANDLE AND SLIDABLE JAW ASSEMBLY, AND ADDITIONAL LOCKING CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED BY AN OVER-CENTER LINK ARRANGEMENT.

Dec. 7, 1971 H. MYERS ADJUSTABLE Box END WRENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 9, 1970 /Ia ls Fig. 2

INVEN'I'UR.

HERMAN A.

MYERS Dec. 7, 1971 H. MYERS ADJUSTABLE BOX END WRENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 9, 1970 l Fig; 3

Fig. 6

INVIiN'V( )R.

' HERMAN A. MYERS BY WM /ZUMLMJ Fig. 5

MM (AUM United States Patent Olce 3,625,096 Patented Dec. 7, 1971 3,625,096 ADJUSTABLE BOX END WRENCH Herman Myers, Lake Lynn, Pa., assignor to Insta-Snap, Inc., Monongahela, Pa. Filed Apr. 9, 1970, Ser. No. 26,828 Int. Cl. B25b 13/14 U.S. Cl. 81-130 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE lAn instantly adjustable box end wrench comprising a stationary handle and a slidable jaw assembly. Both the stationary handle and the slidable jaw assembly terminating in bipartite jaw sections extending normal thereto. The stationary handle has an opening therethrough in the vicinity of its bipartite jaw section to permit a bolt to extend therethrough when a nut is being held by the jaW sections. Locking is accomplished by engaging sets of teeth along the stationary handle and slidable jaw assembly, and additional locking can be accomplished by an overcenter link arrangement.

This invention relates to box end wrenches and, more particularly, to instantly adjustable box end wrenches. As known heretofore, end wrenches come in sets with each end wrench fitting a particular sized fastening means. Various attempts have been made to arrive at an adjustable box end wrench, but all such attempts have failed because of the inability to get adequate locking and thus prevent slipping. Further, the adjustment mechanisms have been complex, therefore, requiring costly manufacture.

My invention eliminates the set of box wrenches by providing a single wrench for several size fastening means. Further, my invention provides a sure locking to prevent slipping. In addition, my wrench is instantly adjustable to permit rapid engagement of various size fastening means. Further, my invention permits clamping of the fastening means or a workpiece to permit the user of the tool to have an additional free hand, where necessary.These advantages are obtained with a design which is simple in construction and, therefore, economical to manufacture.

'My invention is an adjustable box end wrench comprising a stationary handle and a slidable jaw assembly. Both of these members terminate in bipartite jaw sections and the handle has a hole in the vicinity of its bipartite jaw section so that when a nut is engaged, the bolt extends through the opening. Locking is assured by a plurality of teeth in each member which engage and can be further insured by a locking mechanism which employs an overcenter positioning of a link.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown my presently preferred embodiments of my invention in which:

FIG. l is a frontal View of my instantly adjustable box end wrench;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the wrench of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a frontal view of my adjustable box end wrench having an additional locking mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the wrench of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the adjuster of the wrench shown in FIGS. 3 and 4; and

FIG. 6 isa schematic of a modified jaw arrangement.

My adjustable box end wrench comprises a stationary handle generally designated 10 and a slidable jaw assembly generally designated 11. In FIGS. 1 and 2, I have shown my instantly adjustable box end wrench in its simplest form. Handle 10 terminates in a bipartite jaw section 12 which extends normal to handle 10. The bipartite jaw section 12 has two facing sections 13 and 14 which meet at an obtuse angle to engage two faces of a fastening means. As a practical matter, the angle between facing sections 13 and 14 is generally 120 to accommodate a standard hex nut. An opening 15 extends through the handle 10 in the immediate vicinity of bipartite jaw section 12. This opening 15 accommodates a bolt, not shown, when the facing sections 13 and 14 engage a nut. Handle 10 has a section of teeth 16 along the handle and downstream from the bipartite jaw section 12.

The slidable jaw asembly 11 includes shaft 18 which terminates at one end in bipartite jaw section 19 and at the other end in box-like structure 20. The bipartite jaw section 19 also has two obtusely inclined facing sections 21 and 22 (generally 120) which cooperate with facing sections 13 and 14 to grip the fastening means being worked upon. The box-like structure 20 which is attached to the shaft 18 has an opening 23 therethrough. Handle 10 is slidably positioned in the opening 23. Opening 23 has teeth 24 along a portion of one of the surfaces which define the opening to engage the teeth 16 of handle 10. A spring 25 is positioned between the box-like structure 20 and the handle 10 within opening 23 to urge the engagement of the teeth 24 and 16.

This embodiment operates by merely pushing the boxlike structure 20forward so that the facing surfaces of the two bipartite jaw sections engage the fastening means. To disengage the fastening means, the box-like structure is pushed downward to depress the spring and, thus, disengage the teeth and then pushed rearward. Because of the plurality of teeth in locking engagement, there is no rearward slip.

In FIGS. 3 through 5, I have shown my adjustable box end wrench having an additional locking mechanism. In this embodiment, the handle 10 also terminates in bipartite jaw section 12 having facing sections 13' and 14', opening 15 therethrough and teeth 16' along a section thereof. The stationary handle 10 is then identical with the stationary handle of the earlier embodiment. The slidable jaw assembly 11 has a shaft 18', at one end of which is bipartite jaw section 19' having facing sections 21 and 22 in obtuse relationship. At the other end of shaft 18' is boxlike structure 28 having an opening 29 therethrough. Handle 10 is slidably positioned within opening 29. An adjuster 30 having an opening 31 is also slidably mounted on handle 10, see FIG. 5. Adjuster 30 has teeth 32 which engage the teeth 16 of handle 10. A locking pressure handle 33 is pivotally connected inward from one end thereof to adjuster 30 at pivotal connection 34. A link 36 is pivotally connected at one end at pivotal connection 37 at substantially the end of pressure handle 33 and is pivotally connected at its other end to the box-like structure 28 at pivotal connection 38.

The operation of this embodiment is as follows. The pressure handle 33 is moved away from handle 10 to thereby disengage the teeth 32 of the adjuster 30 from the teeth 116 of handle 10. The entire slidable jaw assembly 11 is then pushed forward until the fastening means, not shown, is roughly engaged. Pressure handle 33 is then brought downward toward handle 10. The teeth 32 of adjuster 30 engage the teeth 16 of handle 10 to prevent rearward movement of the slidable jaw assembly 11. As the handle 33 is continued downward, the slidable jaw assembly is forced tightly against the fastening means and is locked thereto when the pivotal connection 37 reaches an over-center position with respect to pivotal connections 38 and 34.

This embodiment then can be used as clamp as well as an end wrench since the fastening means or workpiece can be locked to the tool.

The bipartite jaw sections may be modified, as shown in FIG. 6, to accommodate the ilat surfaces of a fastening means head rather than the edges, for example, of a hex head bolt. This then provides greater flexibility since a variety of head designs can be gripped, thereby permitting these tools to be used as a clamp as well. This would be particularly adapted to the locking adjustable box end wrench shown in FIGS. 3 through 5. The bipartite section 40 has a centrally positioned V-shaped groove 42 and adjoining at surfaces 44. Bipartite section 41 likewise has a V-shaped groove 43 and adjoining flat surfaces 45. Therefore, the edge of a fastening means could be held in the V-shaped grooves 42 and 43 or the at surfaces of a fastening means or a workpiece could be held by at surfaces 44 and 45.

I have thus provided an adjustable box end wrench which is rapid in adjustment and simple in design. While I have shown and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An adjustable box end wrench comprising a stationary handle having teeth along a surface thereof and terminating in a first bipartite jaw section normal to the handle, said handle having an opening therethrough adjacent said bipartite jaw section, a slidable jaw terminating at a -rst end in a second bipartite jaw section and at a second end in an open ended box-like structure slidably mounted on said stationary handle, an adjuster having an opening therethrough sildably mounted on said stationary handle and having a plurality of teeth to engage the teeth of said stationary handle, a locking handle pivotally connected inward from a first end to said adjuster and pivotally connected at substantially said first end to a link, said link also pivotally connected to said box-like structure so that when the locking handle is in a closed position said teeth are in locking engagement and said link has assumed an over-center position at its pivotal connection to said locking handle to lock said teeth in engagement.

2. The box end wrench of claim 1 wherein each of said bipartite jaw sections includes two facing sections joining each other in obtuse relationship.

3. The box end wrench of claim 1 wherein each of said bipartite jaw sections has a centrally positioned V-shaped groove and two adjoining at facing sections each depending outwardly from said groove.

4. The box end wrench of claim 2 wherein the obtuse relationship is about References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 19,790 3/1858 Murray 81--130 606,047 6/1898 Conway 81-130 761,940 6/1904 Bowles 81-130 JAMES L. JONES, JR., Primary Examiner 

